Immigration: Controls at Airports Debate

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Department: Home Office

Immigration: Controls at Airports

Lord Mawhinney Excerpts
Wednesday 16th May 2012

(12 years, 6 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Henley Portrait Lord Henley
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The noble Lord will be well aware that we have common border arrangements with the Republic of Ireland and that they will continue, as is quite convenient. But I shall certainly make sure that appropriate representations are made to the Government of the Republic of Ireland.

Lord Mawhinney Portrait Lord Mawhinney
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My Lords, recently a good friend of mine who has for many years been a prominent businessman and economist in the north-eastern part of the United States rang me to demand to know why he and his wife had been held for two and a half hours at Heathrow trying to get through border controls. What explanation or excuse would my noble friend wish that I had given him?

Lord Henley Portrait Lord Henley
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My Lords, I cannot give an answer to my noble friend on an individual case. If he wishes to write to me, I will be more than happy to take a look at that case.